ANDHRA PRADESH

HISTORY CONGRESS

E DITORI A L BOARD

, /nciem Hislm:r & Archaeo/ogy

Prof. !\. Chandramouli
Dept. of History
Pondicherry L'ni' l.'rsity
Pond \cherry

Medieval His/on '

Prof. Krishna Reddy, N.
D..:panm..:nt oL\ncicnt History & Archaeology
s.v. un i\-crSity. Tiruputl
Modem His1o1T
Prof. P. Sadanandam
Department of II is tory
Kakatiya Un iHrsity. Warangul

Lucol His101:\' & Historiog mphy

Prof. S. J\'lurali Mohan
Dept. of His tory & Archaeology
Acharya ~agn rj una Uni,•ersity
:-.lagmjuna ~agar

PROCEEDINGS OF THE
FORTY SECOND SESSION
NARSAPUR- 2018

ISSN 2320-057X
Andhm Pradesh Hislot~· Congress - XLII

Proceedings of the Forty Second Session of A.P. History Congress held at

Sri Y.N. College (Autonomous),
Narsapur, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh.

Copies : 400
Price : Rs.250/-

The Publication of the proceedings was financially supp011ed by the Indian Council or H i~t orica l Research ,
New Delhi. The responsibility for the facts stated, opinions expressed or conclusions reached is entirely that of
the authors ofthe articles and the Indian Council of Hi storical Research. Ne•v Delhi and A.P. History Congress
accepts no responsibility for them.

Pub/ij·hed on behalfoft he A.P llistory ( ongress by.

Dr. B.R. Prasad Reddy
Reader in History
Govt. Degree College, Dhramavaram
Anantapuram District, Andhra Pradesh

January. 2019

Pcnnanent Office:
Prof. S. Murali Mohan
Department of History and Archaeology
Acharya Nagarjuna University
Nagarjuna Nagar - 522 51 0, Guntur
E-mail: aphcanu@,gmail.com

Pnntcd. at Sri Srinivasa Pruning & Binding Worh. Guntur. •J.Iti20R5237

ii
 Andhra Pmdesh HiJI01y Congress - XLII

CO N TE N T S
General Presidential Address
Om - Macro-Micro Dynamics in Historiography 1
Y Sudershan Rao

SECTION - I : ANCIENT ANDHRA HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Presidential Address
An Insight into Buddhism in Andhradesa 9
- Dr. V. Sudarshan
1. Prehistoric Cultures & Ethno-Archaeology of The Godavari River Valley 20
- Prof P. Vljaya Prakash
2. Theoretical Perspectives m Rock Art Research: An Overview of the Global and Indian Scenario 23
- Dr. N. Chandramouli
3. Recent Archaeological Investigations in Chittoor Dis1rict: New evidence of Prehistoric Rock Art at
Rookalagundu 30
- Eluri Harshauardhan
4. Rock Art Sites of Lower Godavari Valley, Kothagudem Bhadradri Distrlct, Telangana 32
-Mr. 1<. John Milton & J.Somaiah
5. Recent Archaeological Findings in Kurnool Dish·tct of Andhra Pradesh - A Preliminary Report 36
- Dr. Y. Raghu
6. Terrain· Analysis for determining the Selection of Location of Neolithic Sites in Hagari and Upper-Pennar 38
- Opangtula /msong
7. War- It's beginning up to Artha Sastra 42
- Mrs. K. Rani
8. ee.><.>rT"t<l"d LS"~"" 3eDru;::,..,l!;~ c;.o'-0!3 i3"g e!le.>JSlo 45
- ~.;fu :li!::i..fu!iJ;!;Joo

9. The early Historic Urbanization in Andhra 48

- Dr. V. Nagendra Naik
10. ~rr-~;S.S ofuot:l,;;.l:} ;;;o~;Go - v~ o:l5~;S,o 51
- B!J~!;"":d 6:&-% .:5ulc5c.Jl'e»
11. Cultural Heritage of Kal<a tiyas: A Study on Greater Warangal in Telangana 53
- Bandari Suresh
12. Animals and Birds as Decorative MotHs in the Temples of Vijayanagara 59
- V. G. Natarajan & Dr. K. Chitti Kalauathi
13. A Study of Style and Cultural Synthesis in the Lepakshi Murals of Andhra Pradesh 63
- K. Mrutyunjaya Roo & Dr. M. S rinivasa Rao

14. Srisailam - A Famous and Historical Temple in Rayalaseema 69

- B. Venkatoramona
15. 72

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Andln·a Pradesh History Congress - XLII /SSN 2320-057X Ancient Andhra Histmy & Archaeology

ROCK ART SITES OF LOWER GODAVARI VALLEY; KOTHAGUDEM

BHADRADRI DISTRICT, TELANGANA

Mr. K. John Milton

Assistant Professor, Dept. of History, SR & BGNR Government Degree College
Khammam 507002, Telangana, India
&
J.Somaiah
Research Scholar, Depa,rtment of Ancient History and Archaeology
Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh , India

Intro duction unlock the riddles of the past. Thus the importance
of rock art as a source to explore the human past
Rock art is an avenue to walk through the
has been realized by scholars. In India too the rock
archaic expressions of human societies as well as
art studies are gaining momentum to add another
their culture and traditions. It is the earliest known
dimension to explore the antiquity of human
aesthetic expression of human world. The term 'rock
cognitive evolution.
art' i~ used to define the prehistoric art in the form
of paintings, bruising and engravings on bare rock Geographical Background
surfaces of caves, rock shelters and on isolated rock
boulders in open air1• Rock art is an important T he aim of the present paper is to
source to understand the past cultures, apart from understand the past life based on the clues obtained
other important archaeological sources such as through the rock art on the banks of the rivulet
bones, pottery, tools, weapons, ornaments, and Peddavagu. Recently, two rock shelters with paintings
other relics of the past societies of which the were discovered locally known as Peero/la loddi and
archaeological record mainly consists of. Devarlamorey 2 . Peerolla loddi is situated about
3 kms. from Kotturu village and Devarlamorey is
located about 4 kms. from Choppala village and both
of these sites are found on Bayyaram and Thadavi
road of the Kothgudem-Bhadradri District. These two
rock art sites exist within the aerial distance of
OS kilometres from each other. Geographically this
region lies at the north eastern tip of the Telangana
plateau region where it meets Eastern Ghats. A
chain of broken hills rise in this area locally known
as Musalamma Guttalu (Musalamma is an important
female deity of local Koya tribe). These hills rise up
MaJU ofRlvu Gothr..., ; oHd Pedclom/P<RNulet: 11M1f<S ofjloro ond P«<domgu Ri•11l<t Dt to the level of 250 m above MSL and they were
M1Uololfl1ft0 Guttalu (Clock 'OiMI extended towards Papi hill ranges of Eastern Ghats.
As there were no writing systems developed during Thus it forms a junction place between these two
the period of Pre-literate societies, archaeological geographical regions by sharing the environmental
sources are the principal source to study these conditions of both of above said ecological zones.
cultures. In this context, rock art assumes special The hillocks at the rock art sites of Peerollaloddi and
significance, particularly where other archaeological Devarlamorey area are above a height of about 150
sources are silent. In such situations this non-verbal m from the surrounding plains. T his place is covered
language, communicated through an everlasting with a dense dry deciduous forest. In this hillock
medium, provides insights into the world of the region there are five rock shelters found distributed
bygone era. and often provides important clues to with a radius of 10 kilometres and among these five

32
Andhm PrCide.\h HisfOIJ' Congress - XLII ISSN 2320-057X Anciem Andhra Hisro1y & Archaeology

rock shelters only two rock shelters possessed rock sarcophagus and stone vats7 . Though such types of
art. An important rivulet namely Peddavagu. a monuments were unique in sub continent, yet there
tributary of the mighty Godavari , is major water are some similarities with its counter parts found in
resource of this area. This rivulet flows beside the the Vidarbha region of central India. Some of the
rock art site of Deuarlamorey. A brook namely scholars believe that there were cultural contacts
Peerolla Vorre flows besides another rock art site of between the early cultures of Central India and the
Peerolla/oddi and it joins Pedauagu. cultures around Lower Godavari region 8• Apart from
this a Buddhist cave shelter of early historic period
Flora and Fauna is discovered in Karukonda 9 a place near to the
The vegetation of the region includes very district head quarters, Kothagudem. All this facts
tall tree species which includes Tectono grandis, hints us that this region witnessed human occupation
Polyalthialogifolia, Terminaliaarjuna, Albizia amara, right from the Lower Palaeolithic period into the
Mi/iusa tomentosa , Dalbergia Paniculata, Historical period without any break.
Hardwickiabinata, lxora pauetta, Buchananialanzan, Nature of Rock Art
Madhuchindica , Acaciachundra, Largerstroemia
paruiflora, Gmelina arborea, Gme/ina asiatica, Two forms of rock art are found in the two
Caseria elliptica and Diospyros me/anoxy/on.3 This rock shelters, both the Pictographic and petroglyphic.
region is also known for its faunal diversity which Besides , a rare style of art form i.e. painted
includes a variety of bird species like eagles, vultures, petroglyphs is also noticed here. This kind of art
peacocks, kites, owls, peafowl, jungle fowl, qualis, noticed only at Neeladri rock art site in Khammam
partridges, doves, ducks, teals, spoonbills, nuktas. district ofTelangana state and in Odisha 10 • However
open bill stork, which come to nest and graze in water these painted petroglyphs eroded very badly and it
bodies exists in the forest as well as on hillock areas. is very difficult to identify the motifs of this art style
Animals such as tiger, panther, wolf, wild dog, hyena, here. Besides this among the pictogra.phs and
sloth bear, chinkara, nilgai, spotted deer, four horned petroglyphs, the painting (pictographs) motifs are
antelope, cheetal , black bucks, chousinghas , dominant form in both of the rock shelters here.
sambhars, gaurs, jackals, giant squirrels, and reptiles However as painted petroglyphs, the other two art
like crocodiles, python, cobra, kraite and vipers can forms (Pictographs and petroglyphs) of rock art also
also be seen in this region4 • eroded. Apart from this, some of the painting motifs
have been redrawn by the ancient man where, after
Archaeological Background motifs drawn by their predecessors earlier, were also
The area of our study comes under the vanished in course of times. This kind of activity is
broad category of lower Godavari region , where known as superimpositions in rock art traditions. The
many important tributaries merge with river walls of rock art shelters were suffered from
Godavari and it is strategically located at the differential weathering and its feldspars have been
confluence of the north and south Indian cultural eroded and the quartz which has remained has a
zones. Apart from this, this region is archaeologically porous texture. Narrow bands of amphibolites were
very potential right from the lower Paleolithic age. also found in the lower altitudes of the gneiss. Due
Many archaeological sites were discovered earlier to this erosion activity many motifs were badly
around the area of our study. Palaeolithic sites were damaged. Despite of all this, few of .motifs
found in places of Ekkela, Palwancha, have survived here and in well preserved state. All
Bhadrachalam5 . In Cherla area, both Paleolithic and the paintings here are found in red ochre colour.
Mesolithic sites were found 6 . Megalithic sites were It is observed that the brush as well as finger was
numerous around the Gundala and Palwancha used two draw the images on both of the rock art
regions. Megalithic monuments here are unique and sites. Apart from this the pecking and bruising
a rare kind of architectural design was used by techniques have been noticed in mo tifs of
Megalithic folk in constructing the dolmens and petroglyphs and the red ochre colour was used in
dolmenoid cists here. These monuments often painted petroglyphs found at both of these rock art
associated with an thropomorphic statues , sites.

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Andhra Pradesh History Congress - XLII ISSN 2320-057X Ancielll Andlwa Hi1·tory & Archaeology

Peeroll a loddl- Rock She lter or in some times very close to each other figure.
The vulva shaped petroglyphs also drawn in same
way as these vulvas are merged with the pictographs
of paddy sheaves.
Devarlamorey - Rock she lter
Deuarlamorey (which means The abode of
Gods) rock shelter is located above 180 feet of MSL
and the shelter wall is facing western direction in the
hill range of Musalamma guttalu, situated about 4
km long from Choppala village. This rock shelter
measures 32 feet in height and 125 feet in length.
On the wall of this huge rock shelter, motifs were
drawn at 53 feet breadth from north to south
Peerolla loddl - Rock Shelter direction and at the height of 3 feet to 09 feet from
the base of this rock shelter. There were 35 ochre
This rock shelter of is located above 150 coloured paintings, of which only 15,painting motifs
feet MSL and the wall of the shelter faces east to the are legible. Here also painting forms were more in
hill range of Musa/amma guttalu, situated about 3 number when compared to the petroglyphs. There
km long from Kothuru village. This rock shelter are three petroglyphs found here. Only one
measures 30 feet in height and 120 feet in length. petroglyph is legible and it was depicted as spoked
On the waJ1 of this huge rock shelter, motifs were whe~l. Apart from this, numerous micoroliths such
drawn at 50 feet breadth from south to north as backed points, lunates, triangles and trapezes of
direction. These motifs were drawn at the height of chert, jasper, and chalcedony and quartz material
3 feet to 12 feet from the base. There were 41 ochre were found on the surface that is beneath the floor
coloured paintings of which only 10 painting motifs of rock shelter wall.
are clearly visible and one painted petroglyph (breast
shaped image) was noticed. Painting forms were
more in number compared to the petroglyphs. There
are 25 petroglyphs of which 13 are clearly
discernible. They are in shape of femaJe vulvas. Petro
glyphs were drawn on southern and northern ends
as well as on bottom of the rock shelter. wall. Apart
from this there are three shallow pits observed on
the surface of the rock shelter in a triangular position.
Among the pictographs found here are
human images, breast and vulva shaped images,
paddy sheaves, monitor lizard figures, reptiles, and Images ofrnck shellt r. mici'OIIths, Jwnting SC'ene, wild animals, ~·htrl cor/ nnd spoh d wlwtl at
lH\-crlomorry
anthropomorphic figures. On the other hand only
vulva shaped petroglyphs were found on this site. Animals like tiger, deer, antelope, chinkara,
Apart from these, breast shaped and red ochre colour goat, fox, gaur and buffalo were painted on the
painted petroglyph also found here as earlier said. shelter wall. Hunting scene of a human with bow
Paddy sheaves, breast and vulva shaped paintings and arrow is an important painted image here.
were more in number and again and again these Another interesting painting is depiction of wheel
pictures were redrawn in red ochre colour. These cart. Deer and antelope paintings are more in
super impositions are clearly visible on the shelter number and a deer with its fa wn image is also
wall. Another interesting feature is, the paddy depicted here. Among three petroglyphs found here,
sheaves, breast and vulva shaped paintings were there is only one is legible of spoked wheel.
drawn as they were merged with each other image

34
Amlltra f>rndc.,!J liiv/IJI~' Congrcs~ - .\'1.11 ISS.\" .:JJ0-115 '.Y Ancicll( tlmlltm HL~tory & Arclwt!ology

Chrono logy interesting painting motif belonged to the Chalcolithic

age is wheeled cart, dra~"m by two animals probably
Chronological classification of rock art is one by bullocks. This is another example as earlier one 15 •
of the toughest task faced by the scholars working These ki!1ds of motifs were numerous in central
in this field 11 . In recent times scholars are attempting Indian rock art tradition and they are very rare
for direct dating methods but they were not fruitful. depictions in south Indian art, during this period.
However most of the scholars use the indirect dating Apart from this, as earlier mentioned- a petroglyph
method of internal evidences from the rock art and of spoked wheel is also found here. This motif is
rock art sites supported by archaeological similar to Buddhist ritual wheel. This is probably an
evidences 12 • Here also the same indirect dating early historic age art The Presence of Buddhism in
method has been utilized to understand the probable this regior1 is well attested by the Buddhist cave
age of these rod< art sites. shelter of Karukonda which is very near to this area.
Rock art at Peerollaloddi represents human This cultural influence may be reflected on this rock
aspirations expressed in ritualistic symbolism. art.
Paintings of Paddy sheaves, breasts and vulvas; and Discussion and Conclusion :
superimpositions of same motifs. and often these
figures merged with each other on this rock art wall The rock art here provides us the clues about
hints that it is a kind of ritual art belonged to the the cultural contacts between the Central Indian
crop harvesting and reproduction aspects. Their cultures as well as Lower Godavari region. The
aspirations are reflected on the rock art. This kind of painting depictions of hunting see n~ of Mesolithic
motifs can be attributed to the transitory period of period and wheel cart of Chalcolithic period were
Mesolithic to Neolithic cultural phase. However there altogether new to the South Indian rock art tradition.
are no traces of other archaeological material found However they are very frequent depictions of Central
on the vicinity of rock shelter to corroborate the age Indian rock art tradition. Apart from this, the painting
of this period except the assumption based on the of paddy sheaves is another interesting aspect of this
rock art itself. Nevertheless the archaeological rock art here. Though it is a rare kind of depiction
material remains of the megalithic culture includes and not even noticed in Central Indian rock art sites,
dolmens and dolmenoid cists in association with yet it is well attested that the Chopani mando and
anthropomorphic statues of have been noticed at Koldihwa of Vindhyas were prominent central Indian
the aerial distance of half kilometer long from this early cultures which were associated with the rice
rock art site. Scholars are of the opinion that people crop 16 . All these evidences prompt us that there was
living in this region knew the wild variety of rice crop a possibility of cultural assimilations as well as
(Oryza rufipogon) from the Mesolithic period migrations of earlier cultures of Deccan plateau.
omvards 1J . These rock paintings can be considered
as an important evidence for this assumption. Re fe re nces
Chandramouli. N. 2003. "Rock Art of Andhfa Pradesh"
The rock art motifs at Deuarlamorey In Murty, M.L.K., ed .. Pre and Proto Historic Andhra
represent the cultural life from the Mesolithic to the Pradesh Upto 500 B. C.. Hyderabad. Orient Longman,
early historic period . Microliths unearthed on the p.l48.
floor of the Devarlamorey rock art shelter is an K. John Milton one of the author of this article is a
evidence for its Mesolithic cultural background. The member of the team that explored these rock art sites
frequent depiction of wild animals supports the same. during the year- 2017.
Painting motif related to hunting scene of a human Murty. M.L.K. 2003. "Physiography and Environment"
with a bow and arrow suggests that this art belonged in Murty. M .LK., ed.. Pre and Proto Historic Andhra
Pradesh Upto 500 B.C .. Hyderabad, Orient Longman.
to the age of pre-cattle domestication times of the
pp.9-27.
Mesolithic period. These kinds of Mesoli thic age
Chandramouli. N. 2013. Rock Art of Andhro Pradesh
motifs have close resemblance to the rock art of
A New Synthesis, New Delhi· Indira Gandhi National
Central lndia 14 and there is a possibility of central Centre for the Arts, pp.25-34 .. Murty. M.L.K.2003.
Indian rock art influence on this area. Another ''Physiography and Environment" in Murty. M.L.K., ed.,

35
Andhra Pradesh History Congress - XLII /SS.V 2320-057X A11f'il.ml Andhra Histm~· & Ardweolo!{\'

Pre and Proto Historic Andhra Pradesh Upto 500 B.C. 11

Kumar,Giriraj.2000-2001. Chronology of Indian Rock
Hyderabad: Orient Longman. pp.9-27. Art: A Fresh Attempt. Purakala. vol.ll-12. p.6.
Thimma Reddy. K. 2003. ''Lower Palaeolithic Cultures" 12 Bahn.Paul. G.l998. The Cambridge lJILtstrated History
in Murty. M.L.K.. ed .. Pre and Proto Historic Andhra of Prehistoric Art. Cambridge University Press. pp.l42-
Pradesh Upto 500 B.C.. Hyderabad. Orient Longman. 149.
pp.32-36. Chandramouli.N. 2013. Rock Art of Andhra Pradesh
Bhaskara Murti. D.2003. ''Mesolithic Cultures" in A New Synthesis. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National
Murty. M.L.K., ed .. Pre and Proto Historic Andhra Centre for the Arts. pp.177-180.
Pradesh Upto 500 B.C. Hyderabad, Orient Longman. 11 Chandramouli.N. 2003. "Rock Art of Andhra Pradesh"
p .68. in Murty. M.LK.. ed .. Pre and Proto Historic Andhra
7
Rao, K.P.2014. ·'Significant Characteristics of Megalithic Pradesh Upto 500 B.C. Hyderabad. Orient Longman.
Culture in Andhra Pradesh" In Dikshit K.N. and Ajit p.l50.
Kumar, ed .. The Megalithic Culture of South India. New 15
Kumar.G .. Pancholi. R. K.. Nagdev. S .. Runwal.
Delhi: The Indian Archaeological Society, pp.l73-174. G .G ..Srivastava. J .N. and Tripathi, J .D. 1992., in
Rao, K.P.1988.Deccan Megaliths. New Delhi: Sundeep Kumar.G et.al. Rock Art of Upper Chambal Valley. Part
Prakashan, pp.l51-155. 1: Rock Art and Rock Art Sites. Purakala,uo/.3.Nol -
10 Chandramouli,N .. 2014. "Megalithic Art of Andhra 2,P21.
I~
Pradesh" in Dikshit K.N. and Ajit Kumar. ed .. The Chandramouli,N. 2013. Rock Art of Andhra Pradesh
Megalithic Culture of South India. New Delhi: The A New Synthesis. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National
Indian Archaeological Society. p220. Centre for the Arts. pp.177-180.

RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN KURNOOL DISTRICT OF

ANDHRA PRADESH -A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Dr. Y. Raghu
Academic Consultant, Dept. Of History &Archaeology
Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa , A.P.

The reconstituted Andhra Pr'adesh with 13 Rock-Art sites (Lanja Banda and Kandanathi) and
districts comprises two geographical zones: The two Megalithic sites (Deva Betta and
South-Western Plateau. popularly known as Gurralamadugu) in Kurnool district .This paper is
Rayalaseema (comprising the districts of Anantapur. descriptive account of the newly discovered
Chittoor, Kadapa and Kurnool) and Coastal archaeological sites.
belt(popularly known as Teerandhra comprising the
districts of Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, East NEOLITHIC SITES
& West Godavari. Visakhapatnam. Srikakulam and Pyalakurthy (15°44 '38.81 " N ;77°49'43 .42" E)
Vijayanagaram).
This village is located in Kodumur Mandai
The Plateau region of South western Andhra of Kurnool District. The Neolithic site is situated at
Pradesh revealed copious evidences of all phases of the bank of a brook locally called 'Patiuanka' at a
prehistoric period without any break. The distance of about 800 m towards northeast of the
Billasurgam and MuchchatlaChintamanugaviin main village. This site is called "patimeeda' and the
Kurnool district are the only cave areas in India which agricultural land s at the site are called
revealed the bone tool industries of the Upper 'patimeedachentu··. According to village elders ... .
Palaeolithic phase. Long back there was a village in.'this site area named
'Sudharapadu'. It is said that Hari Hara Raya - I,
The present researcher explored two the emperor o f Vijayanagara Kingdom granted
Neolithic sites (Pyalakurthy and Pathapadu) two authority to a chief known as Narasimhato make

36